Browse Forums Windows & Doors 1 Mar 08, 2009 6:26 pm The front door of our house has a large gap at the bottom, where spiders and bugs get in.
The bottom door seal is this one. You can see from the attachment how the problem occurs. I've added some weatherstripping around the door frame, but this hasn't helped. Any ideas how to fix this? Thanks. Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Re: Bottom Door Gap 6Mar 17, 2009 12:00 pm I would like to see a pic of the actual door frame itself and a pic of the jamb which the door closes onto...
I'm thinking the door is badly hung to have a small gap at top and big gap at bottom. Maybe a pic of the whole door and frame whilst closed too please? Re: Bottom Door Gap 9Oct 25, 2010 2:33 pm Any futher advice? I'm finally getting around to fixing this. I'm thinking to swap the bottom door seal to one that sits flush against the door frame, so doesn't have any gap. Also, rehang the door to make the sidewards gap smaller. Re: Bottom Door Gap 10Oct 25, 2010 3:43 pm That gap is way to big (or it looks like it is) The margin around the door should be the same @ around 2-3mm. What is the gap on the hinge side like? On the lock side, is the gap closer at the top than at the bottom? You can spread the hinge a bit to close up the gap on the lock side, and by the look of it you would only need to do the bottom hinge (and possibly a little on the middle). To do this you basically put something in between the bottom hinge (to crank a gap that large I'd use a round nail punch or 1/4" drill bit) and close the door. You will need to keep it pushed into place with a screw driver until it holds as you close the door. Don't go to mad trying to close the door or you will bend the hinge to much or rip the screws out. Us carpenters get used to doing it so know the feel, but if you just take it easy you should be able to even up the gap a bit. Then I'd put on a new weather seal. You only need to install the part on the door. The trick is to cut the rubber part the same width as the actual opening and not the same as the door. This way when the door is closed the rubber fills the whole gap. You will need to cut the aluminium part the same as the door or it might catch the door frame as you close the door. Hope you can understand and visualise everything I've said. If not let me know. Accessible Carpentry & Cabinets accessiblecarpentry@gmail.com accessiblecarpentry.com.au https://www.facebook.com/pages/Accessible-Carpentry-Cabinets/583314911709039 Re: Bottom Door Gap 11Oct 25, 2010 5:52 pm yeah, there is a big gap on the bottom right side (lock side), and along the top of the door, a small gap on the bottom left (hinge side), so I guess the bottom hinges need to be closer towards the right to even things out. I've heard of using cardboard to pack out the hinge? Not sure what you're suggesting with the screwdriver/nail punch/drill bit? With the bottom door seal, I think I understand now. At first I was confused by what you meant by actual opening, but then I realised actual opening will be > the width of the door, so hence the rubber bit will kind of stick out, and seal off any gap remaining. Is this correct? Re: Bottom Door Gap 12Oct 25, 2010 10:07 pm Sorry if I didn't explain it clearly. You do something hundreds of times but you never have to verbalise how you do it. This picture might make it clearer. I apologise for my poor computer drawing, give me paper and pencil any day. Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ What you effectively do is spread the hinge plates apart whilst leaving them checked into the frame and door. It's actually quite hard on the hinge because you are really bending them, but it's done all the time so don't be concerned. The closer you can keep the drill bit or punch to the butt of the hinge the better. Packing the hinges with cardboard wont help as the hinge will end up out of it's rebate and will be hanging out of the door frame. You are correct about the door seal width. The actual opening size is the door width plus the margins on the hinge and lock side. In your case it looks like the margin on the lock side is very large so your door width (and hence door seal width) may be a good 10mm less than the opening width. Accessible Carpentry & Cabinets accessiblecarpentry@gmail.com accessiblecarpentry.com.au https://www.facebook.com/pages/Accessible-Carpentry-Cabinets/583314911709039 Re: Bottom Door Gap 13Oct 26, 2010 9:02 am Thanks for your explanation and diagram. I think I understand now, and found a link to this technique... http://www.finehomebuilding.com/how-to/ ... r-fit.aspx So what you are basically doing is bending the metal hinge to make it stick out more when the door is closed. Re: Bottom Door Gap 14Oct 26, 2010 9:44 am That's it. I usually run the punch or drillbit vertically up and down along the hinge rather than pushing it in horizontally as shown on the other website. That way you get more even pressure along the whole length of the hinge rather than a localised pressure. As I mentioned just take it easy to start with because it is a pain if you go to far. Mind you if you have to crank the hinge as much as it looks like you need to you will be applying quite a bit of pressure against whatever you use in the hinge. Just bend it a little bit then take out your packer and see how the fit is, if it needs more you can go again. All the best. Accessible Carpentry & Cabinets accessiblecarpentry@gmail.com accessiblecarpentry.com.au https://www.facebook.com/pages/Accessible-Carpentry-Cabinets/583314911709039 Re: Bottom Door Gap 15Oct 26, 2010 6:18 pm I've tried it, and it worked! Although there is still a bit of a gap on the lock side, its much better than before. I used a 6.5mm drill bit, then 8mm, then 10mm. One tip is to use some bluetak to hold the drill bit in place while you close the door. I might have to buy some thicker weatherstripping though, as there is a small gap on the left hand side now, but definately its more evened out. Thanks chippy. Re: Bottom Door Gap 16Oct 26, 2010 7:26 pm Good news! Good to see you recognised the need to go for a thicker drill bit. It feels quite brutal, particularly when you are using a 10mm bit in there, but it works. Problem is, now you know one of our chippy's secrets, good thing we've got plenty more. Accessible Carpentry & Cabinets accessiblecarpentry@gmail.com accessiblecarpentry.com.au https://www.facebook.com/pages/Accessible-Carpentry-Cabinets/583314911709039 Re: Bottom Door Gap 17Oct 28, 2010 5:13 am That's the problem with those funny old fashioned doors with butt hinges (and still used in new houses ). They just never fit properly and never seal properly either. A modern entrance door made the European way has rubber seals, rebates, multi point locking and adjustable hardware. It is not rocket (or chippie science) all you need for adjustment in a hex key or screw driver rather than planer, hinge bending and other ancient methods which are if repeated gradually make the whole door worse and wrack it. Change is what we need! Can we? YES WE CAN!!!!! Re: Bottom Door Gap 18Oct 28, 2010 5:59 pm chippy Good news! Good to see you recognised the need to go for a thicker drill bit. It feels quite brutal, particularly when you are using a 10mm bit in there, but it works. Problem is, now you know one of our chippy's secrets, good thing we've got plenty more. Clever stuff, I have never heard of it before. Ed "ECOECO" At 'EcoEco', we design windows, we design the best windows, we do it for you, so that when you’re happy we are happy. Tel. 1800 326 326 Got my stairs designed like this with 250mm Gap marked below. Gap is bec of 2 steps added between two landing area… 0 4917 This is one of the reasons I decided to go overseas for my double glazed windows. As the builder indicated, he's worked on many upmarket builds, these were the most well… 13 19400 2 7649 |